Knitting-machine for knitting rib-tops



(No Model.) 2' Sheets-Shet 1;

O. M. MUSGROVE.

, KNITTING MACHINE FOB KNITTING RIB TOPS. No. 3 9,592. Patented Sept. 18

N. PETERS. PhuloLh-homph. Wuhingtm. u z;

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

0. M. MUSGROVE.

KNITTING MACHINE FOR KNITTING RIB TOPS.

No. 389,592. Patented'S'ept. 18, 1888.

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I UNITED STATES PATENT OEFIcE.

CHARLES M. MUSGROVE, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

KNITTING-MACHINE FOR KNITTING RlB-TOPS.,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,592, dated September 18, 1888.

Application filed August 23, 1887.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. MuseRovE, of Pittsfield, county of Berkshire, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Knitting-Machines for Knitting Rib- Tops, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve that class of knitting-machines designed for the production of rib-tops or welted pieces for tops of stockings, cuffs of shirts, and bottoms of drawers, and enable the welt formed for the end of the ribtop to be made longer than usual and flat and smooth, thus adding greatly to the appearance of the welt.

In the usual manufacture of rib-tops the end of one rib-top having been reached and it being desired to commence another rib-top, the front bar of the knitting-machine having the stationary needles is lifted into position with relation to the horizontally-reciprocating needles of the needle-bed, and a thread is laid into the hooks of both needles, asin plain rib knitting, and the reciprocating needles are operated to knit and the front needles are pulled down to make the front case for the welt. In this condition a welt cam comes into operative position to prevent the rise of the front bar with its needles, while three or four courses are knitted on the horizontallyreciprocating needles, after which the front-bar needles are again permitted to rise into such position with relation to the horizontally-reciprocating needles that both sets of needles may take thread, and the front-bar needles at their next descent draw the thread last left in their hooks down through the loops of thread held on their shanks, while the courses for the welt were being knitted, thus finishing the cut-off welt, as it is called, and thereafter a second welt is made in like manner; but the welt so produced is short and thick and has a rough edge.

As so far described, the method of forming the welt is old and common, and is practiced .on what is known as the Pepper machine.

In practice, in the Pepper and other like machines for the manufacture of rib-tops but three or four courses are employed in the welt at the commencement of the rib-top, as that Serial No. 247,647. (No model.)

number of courses is about all that can be made on the machine while the usual knockingoff bar continues in motion, and prior tomy invention I am not aware that a knitting-machine using latched needles has ever been provided with means to automatically arrest the motion of the knocking-off bar during the formation ofthe welt, so that any desired number of courses in excess of those usually employed might be used in order to make a longer welt, which will be flat.

' In accordance with my invention, three or four courses having been knitted, as described, to form the cutoff welt, the front needlebar is permitted to partially but not fully rise, as before described, for one course, the extent to which the front-bar needles are permitted to rise, in accordance with my invention, being just enough for the said needles to receive, in common with thehorizontally-reciprocating needles, the thread; but the said front-bar necdles do not rise far enough to pass their latches through the loops of the first course of the welt yet held on the shanks of the front-bar needles, and as a result thereof the needles of the front bar at their next descent do not, as in the old method, cast off the loops of the first course to complete the cut-off welt; but in myinvention the front-bar needles descend and hold on their shanks both the first and last courses of the cut-off welt, and thereafter the welt proper is knitted on the backbar needles alone; and so, also, while the welt proper is being knitted and the front-bar needles are held down, as stated, the movement of the knocking-over bar, and preferably also of the latch-holder for the front-bar needles, is arrested, and the desired number of courses for the welt proper having been made, preferably from six to ten, that depending upon the length of a so-called welt-cam, to be described, the front needle-bar is again permitted to rise, in order that its needles may, in common with the horizontally-reciprocating needles, again take the thread, and at the next descent of the front-bar needles close the welt, after which regular knitting for the rib-top is again resumed and the rib-top is knitted for the desired length. i

The particular features in which my invention consists will be hereinafter more fully de scribed, and specified in the claims at the end of the specification.

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the chief essential parts of a knitting-machine embodying my invention, the cam-plate being partially broken out to show the needle-bed below it, some of the gearing being omitted. Fig. 1 shows one of the horizontal needles removed from the needle-bed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a sufficient portion of a knittingmachine to enable my invention to be understood, most of the needles being omitted, the front needle-bar being partially broken out. The devices for operating the cam-bar omitted from Fig. l are added. Fig. 2 is a detail showing the welt-controlling cam by itself. Figs. 3 to 7 are sectional details of the machine, to be referred to in the description of the parts. Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrams showing different positions of the needles and the loops thereon in the production of the cut-off welt and the welt proper; and Fig. 10 is a diagram of the welt and some courses above and below it, the dotted line showing the direction of the cut to sever the loops of the cut-off welt to separate the ribbed tops and leave smooth welts.

The framework A,of suitable shape to sustain the working parts, has a short shaft, A, provided with a pinion, A. This shaft may be driven in any usual manner, preferably by power. The pinion A engages a toothed wheel, A, fast on the cam-shaft A, the latter having at its opposite end a beveled pinion, A, which engages a bevel-gear, A, on a short vertical shaft, A provided at its upper end with a crank, A, which, by aconnecting-rod, A is joined to a pin, A, upon and so as to reciprocate the usual cam-bar, B, provided with a combined thread guide and latchopener, B. The cam-shaft A has a cam, O, which strikes against a roll, 0, on a stud extended from an arm, 0, of a rock-shaft, O, having two forwardly-extended arms,O",on or between which is pivoted the front needle-bar, O, carrying the front needles, 0, they being latch-needles.

The needle-bed D is provided with usual grooves for the reception of the horizontallyreciprocatingneedles d",one of which is shown separately at Fig. 1, they having latches in usual manner, and having usual butts to be acted upon by the usual cam-groove at the under side of the cam-plate B, the reciprocation of the cam-plate causing the horizontal needles to be rcciprocated in usual manner.

The camshaft A has fast upon it a cam, E, which effects the rocking of a rock-shaft, E, having two arms,E which support the knocking-over bar E, the said knocking-over bar operating to knock off the loops from the tops of the front needles, 0, one of which is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, when the latter are drawing down new loops.

The devices so far described are old and in common use in what is called the Pepper and other machines.

I have omitted most of the needles from Figs. 1 and 2, to thus avoid confusion in the drawings.

The front needle-bar has two lugs, c c,which receive suitable pivot-studs, upon which is mounted a rock-shaft, c, to which is attached the shank of the latch-holder L, which cooperates with the front bar needles, 0, the said rock-shaft having a rearwardly-extended arm, 0*, provided, as herein shown, with a horizontally-extended end, 0', upon which is mounted loosely a roller, 0, the said roller being embraced by a roller-shipper, (shown as a forked finger, I), to be described,) the movement of the said shipper at times placing the said roller in the range of a cam, D, on the cam-shaft A, and at other times moving the roller out of the range of the said cam, the rock-shaft 0, when the roller is out of the range of the cam D, being acted upon by the spring 0", so as to retain the latch-holder L forward against and keep the latches of the front needles, 0, down, so that they cannot possibly fly up and close the hooks of the needles 0 as the front needlebar 0 rises to close the welt, as will be described.

In ordinary rib-top machines the rocking bar or shaft, as E, carrying the knockingover bar E, is provided with a downwardlyprojecting arm which is struck at each rotation of the cam-shaft by a cam thereon; but herein the rock-shaft to which the knockingover bar is attached has two depending arms, as c 0 which support a rod, 0, upon which is mounted a roller, 0", which is retained in line with the periphery of the cam E at all times, except when the welt proper is being made, at which time the said roller 0 is moved laterally upon the rod 0 against, as herein shown, the action of a spiral spring, 0, by means of a finger, 0 attached to a slide-bar, cfithe said slide-bar having a stud, c,which,at the proper time or when it is desired to shift the roller 0, is acted upon by a tappet,c",(see Fig. 2,) adjustably attached to a disk, f, secured to a hub, f, loose upon a stud, f fixed in a stand, f attached to the frame-work of the machine, the said hub having at its oppo' site end a toothed wheel, f which is engaged by a worm-gear, f fast upon the cam-shaft A, the said worm rotating the said gear one step at each rotation of the cam-shaft.

The slide-bar a referred to has attached to it the shipper-finger 0, before described, so that the roller 0 is moved laterally out of the range of the cam D at the same time that the roller 0 is moved out of the range of the cam E,the knocking-over bar E and the latch holder L being at such time held stationary, as and for the purpose to be described.

The worm f referred to engages a wormtoothed gear, 9, fast upon a short shaft, g, which, extended to the front end of the machine, is provided with a cam, 9 (see Fig. 2%) for controlling the length of not only the cut-off welt co, but also of the welt proper, w, the latter being of any desired length.

seaez a chine rises and comes in contact with the portion 12 of the said welt-controlling cam,- as the cutoff welt is to be commenced, the

' front bar-needles at such time having on them the first course (marked 1, Figs. 8 and 9) for the'production of the cut-off welt, the said finger in the rotation of the cam-shaft A remaining in contact with the said portion 12, while from three to four courses (as herein shown, three courses) are knit on the horizontal needles d that being the maximum number of courses that can be made in the welt while the knockingover bar E continues to move. The four courses 1 2 3 4 having been completed, and the notch 13 in the weltcontrolling cam having arrived in position above the finger y the front needle-bar, O is permitted to rise slightly, or until the said finger g meets the bottom of the said notch 13, the rise permitted to the front needle-bar being, however, only sufficient to enable the books of the front needles, c, to ascend in such position with relation to the hooks of the horizontalneedles d as to permit the hooks of both sets of needles to be supplied with thread from the threadguide to form the first course 5 of the .welt proper, to. The said front needles are not, however, raised far enough (see Fig. 8) to enable the first course 1 of the cut-off welt (shown in Figs. 8 and 9) to be placed below the points of the latches of the needles 0. The front needles, 0, having taken the thread, as last described, the front needle-bar, 0*, is thrown down, holding the loops 5, thus making two loops, as 1 and 5, which are held onfrom four to ten courses,(herein shown as four courses, 6 7 8 9,) as may be desired, these courses being knitted upon the horizontal needles 6?, operated in usual manner by the cam-plate and supplied with yarn from the guide 13*. Just as the finger g rises to act upon the portion 14 of the welt-controlling cam the tappet e on the disk f acts upon the stud e and moves the slide-bar c to place the rollers c and e*, as described, out of the range of their actuating-cams. The acting face of the tappet e" is of such length as to retain the sliding bar 6 in the position in which it is moved,so long as the finger 9 acts against the portion 14 of the welt-controlling cam to hold down the front needle-bar.

Fig. 8 shows one of the series of front needles, c, with the loops of the cut-off Welt upon it above the point of its latch, the needle 0 being supposed to be in its partially-elevated position, as when the finger g enters the notch 18. With the loops on the needles, as shown in Fig. 8, the front needle-bar, C, will be lowered, and at the next rise thereof the fingerg will meet the part 14 of the welt-controlling cam, as stated, and the welt proper will be knit on the needles :1 leaving the loops of the said courses back of the front needle, 0, as in Fig. 9. The welt proper having been knitted for the desired length, the front needles,c, are again lifted to place their hooks in such relation to the hooks of the horizontal needles (1 as to again receive thread,this position being shown in Fig. 9, which shows one of the series of front needles as having taken the thread for one of the loops of the last course of loops 9 for the welt proper. The series of front needles, c, are then made to descend, taking the loops 9 of the last course of the welt proper, drawing them down through the loops 5 of the welt proper,and then through the loops 1, forming part of the first course of the cutoff welt, as in Fig. 10, when the knitting is continued in usual manner with both sets of needles until the top is of the proper length.

The machine herein described will produce an attached series of tops, which are separated by severing the fabric through the cut-off welt, such severance cutting off the row of loops constituting the first row of the cutoff welt c 0, but not severing or in any way cutting offthat row of loops 5v which, as before stated, constitute the-first course of the welt proper; and as a result thereof the welt proper is left smooth and without any projecting ends or threads, and of such length as to present a fiat appearance, doing away with the ridge commonly seen when the cutoff welt and the welt proper are separated by a regular course of knitting on both needles.

In the operation of the machine herein described, especially at that course wherein the loops constituting the last course of the welt proper are to be taken by the front needles as they descend,it is 'necessary,in order to avoid casting off the new loops just taken by the hooks of the needles c,th at the front needles be moved outwardly away from the hooks of the horizontal needles. The camshaft A has upon it a cam, G,(herein shown as having two throw-points, 15 16,) the said throw-points acting in succession upon a pin, as 17, held in one end of an arm, 18, attached to the front needle-bar, G, a spring, 19, connected to the said arm acting normally to keep the said pin pressed down within the range of the said projections. In the rotation of the cam G the throw-point 15 first strikes the pin 17 and causes the front needle-bar, O, to be rocked forward as the said bar is being lowered, the throw-point 16 serving to again throw the upper ends of the needles 0 forward as the front needlebar rises to pass the books of its needles 0 above the books of the horizontal needles al The front bar, 0, having been raised to enable its needles 0 to receive the IIO loops of the last course 9 of the welt proper, the slide-bar e is released from the tappet e", and the spring a on the rod 6 acting on the roll 6, moves the said slide-bar to the right, placing the rolls 6 and 0 again in the range of their actuating-cams. In this condition the cam E, acting on the roll 0*, again causes the knockingover bar E to rise, it in its ascent acting upon the row of loops 1 constituting the first course of the cut-off welt, lifting the said loops and the series of loops 5 above the latches of the needles 0, casting them off over the loops 9 of the said needles. The accumulation of loops above the knocking-over bar E before it rises, as stated, causes the loops last caught upon the needles 0 to be loosened just before the front needles are ready to start down, and to take up this looseness the front needle-bar is given an outward motion, as stated, sufficient to somewhat strain the said loops and cause them to be retained in the hooks of the needles 0.

I claim 1. The needle-bed, the series of reciprocating needles therein, means to reciprocate them, a yarn guide. the front needle-bar, its series of needles, and means to actuate the said needle-bar, combined with the latchholder and means to control its movement, whereby the latch-holder holds the latches of the front needles from rising while the main or welt proper is being knitted, substantially as described.

2. The needle bed, the series of reciprocating needles therein, means to actuate them, a yarn-guide, the front needle-bar, its series of needles, means to actuate the said needle-bar, the latch-holder, means to control its movements, and the knocking-over bar E combined with means to control the movements of the knocking-over bar, whereby the movement of the said bar and of the latch-holder is arrested while the main body of the welt is knitted, substantially as described.

3. The needle-bed, the series of reciprocating needles therein, means to reciprocate them, a yarn-guide, the front needle-bar, its series of needles, and means to actuate the said needle bar, combined with the latchholder, the knocking-over bar, and with means to control their movements, whereby the movements of both the latch-holder and the knocking-over bar are arrested while the main part of the welt is being knitted, substantially as described.

4. The front needle bar, 0, the rock-shaft pivoted on it, the latchholder, the arm 0, its roller 0 the knocking-over bar E", rock-shaft E, arms e E and stud spring 0'', shaft A, cams D and E, and roller 0, combined with the slidebar e, having a pin or projection, a shipper, b, a finger, 0 a tappet, c and means to move said tappet, substantially as described.

5. The needle-bed, a series of horizontal needles therein, means to reciprocate the said needles, the front needle-bar, its needles. and the arm 18, combined with the shaft A, having the double-throw cam G, and means to rotate the said shaft, whereby the front needle bar and its needles are moved or rocked forward as the said bar is being lowered and as it is raised again to pass the hooks of its needles above the hooks of the horizontal needles to keep the loops taut as the last course of the welt is being knitted, substantially as described.

6. The needle-bed, a series of needles, d, therein, means to move them, the front nee die-bar, means to move it, its attached finger 9 the welt-controlling cam having surfaces 12 and l i with a notch, 13, between them, the surface 14 being longer than the surface 12, and means to move the said cam, combined with the knocking-over bar and means to arrest its reciprocations while the surface 14 of the welt-controlling cam acts as a stop to arrest the full upward movement of the finger g and parts carrying the front needle-bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES M. MUSG tOVE.

Witnesses;

G. W. GREGORY, O. M. Conn. 

